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If you missed the chilling video of police pepper spraying peaceful protesters at UC Davis last week, you can catch it in the clip above. UC Davis Chancellor Katehi has apologized for the actions of the police and wants a full investigation of what happened. Despite calls for her resignation, Katehi will not resign, but says she is committed to making sure this doesn’t happen again. She also put the police chief on leave. In the above interview, it is clear her apology is tinged with a clear frustration at the avenues protesters are taking on campus–peaceful, non-violent, public demonstrations.

I don’t really think it matters what her opinion is on the avenues protesters are taking in expressing their (completely rightful) rage at the state of the California university system–which has been subject to drastic cutbacks in the last few years. What is captured on the video above is an appalling misuse of power and completely unjustified.

I have said this before, and I’ll say it again. I don’t give a shit what your political affiliation is or what your beef might be with the global #OWS protests–if we claim to be a democracy, we have to protect the rights of everyone to assemble in public peaceful without being brutalized by the police. This message is not really coming through loud and clear as incident after incident of police brutality comes out.

She devoted her time to not just speaking about the importance of marriage equality for LGBTQ people, but also addressed the ways in which those who are marginalized in our society have been pitted against each other instead of standing in solidarity with one another.

Part of what makes this speech so awesome is Washington’s awareness of her own power and position within society. She says:

Anayvette has over 15 years of experience working with nonprofits and youth. After feeling conflicted about her daughter’s desire to join the local Girl Scouts troop, Anayvette and her co-founder Marilyn Hollinquest created their own organization in Oakland that teaches young girls of color about social justice activism, from radical beauty to the environment and beyond.

The Radical _____ are currently electing their new name with leadership from their girls and ...

Nearly two weeks later, five activists remain in police custody, some in poor health and denied medical attention. Yesterday Foreign Policy published an interview with Zhao Sile, a reporter, feminist organizer, and close friend of several of the detained activists. In it, Sile provides a broader ...